Let's say you want to help your daughter better understand math concepts by dynamically creating a multiplication table. You can use a two-variable data table .

  1. Set up a worksheet with the following structure.

    Example

    The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank worksheet.

    How to copy an example

    1. Create a blank workbook or worksheet.
    2. Select the example in the Help topic.

      Note Do not select the row or column headers.

      selecting an example from helpSelecting an example from Help

    3. Press CTRL+C.
    4. In the worksheet, select cell A1, and press CTRL+V.
    5. To switch between viewing the results and viewing the formulas that return the results, press CTRL+` (grave accent), or on the Formulas tab, in the Formula Auditing group, click the Show Formulas button.
  2. 1
    2
    3
    A
    1
    1
    =A1*A2

  3. Enter a row of values from B3 to the right, for example, 1 through 10.

  4. Enter a column of values from A4 down, for example, 1 through 10.
  5. Select all cells in the range except cells A1 and A2.
  6. On the Data tab, in the Data Tools group, click What-If Analysis, and then click Data Table.
  7. In the Row input cell box, enter A1.
  8. In the Column input cell box, enter A2.
  9. Click OK.
  10. Optionally, you can freeze the data table by converting the result to their values.

    How to copy values

    1. Select all resulting values in the data table .
    2. Click Copy button image, and then select the upper-left cell of the paste area .
    3. Click the arrow next to Paste button image, and then click Values.

    Note Because the resulting values are in an array, you must convert all of the resulting values to constant values.